Love Wins: Naama O. Pozniak on Web3, Wellness and Elevating Women
Naama O. Pozniak's extreme passion for art, healthcare, and meaningful friendship led her to Web3, where she continues to advocate and bring communities together for equality and inclusion.
Rug Radio DAO council member Naama O. Pozniak is a talented business woman, artist and creative Web3 leader. She shares love and light with everyone she meets, whether online or IRL.
WagginWendy had the privilege of talking with Naama about her passion for helping others, her commitment to wholistic/holistic wellness, and her dedication to the Rug Radio community.
How did you get involved in web3?
In January 2021, while I was super quarantined, I quickly became addicted to the Clubhouse app. Although my limited social media engagement time was always aligned with my actual #irl time, Clubhouse brought fresh air, authenticity, simplicity, and heart-to-heart connections unrelated to our first sense, our eyes. The app improved my listening skills but mostly elevated global discussion on to freedom of speech. By February 2021, I had onboarded many people and connected to a community I had never met before.
One late night, I started getting notifications from so many of my connections to join an NFT room – "What the Hell is an NFT." The positive energy, focused on art and social good, made immediate sense to me, and I was hooked. I undertook massive education efforts primarily through the NFT.Tips room to learn about the NFT revolution, get my first MetaMask wallet, purchase some crypto, and weave and strengthen international relationships.
In May 2021, we decided to take the app to #irl event. The NFT Miami event was curated during Bitcoin Miami. Meeting many Clubhouse members #irl for the first time, the feelings, emotions, and hugs took us on four days of bonding and creating. Our relationships went to extraordinary levels of trust and communication.
I became a crypto girl, a collector, educator and was helping to curate several future events. I don't think any of us ever imagined that it would be endless conferences and sessions, moving from Web2 to Web3, and the massive discussions about the blockchain opportunity
Tell me about how Web3 rekindled your artistic talents.
I was born an artist, but in 2009 stopped painting, as I never wanted to sell or waste canvas nor saw art as a career. Instead, I was moving all creativity toward my career and leadership in the health insurance benefits industry. So, only if you visited me in Studio City, could you see my private collection of my painting, understand that I am an artist, and see that part of my life journey of creating and expressing feelings, emotions, and moments are hanging on my walls.
The NFT space brought me back to the drawing desk and actively painting and creating for a potential career, this time as an artist. No feelings can top that. My NFT collection is now all about the present moments and the changes that are here to stay — expression of everything I ever dreamed about but mainly the potential to find the solution for our broken way of healing and merge Eastern and Western medicine. My art is not yet minted or for sale, but I have been participating in several collaborations for charity. For example, I was one of the 55 artists that dropped a collab for the Mental Health Day auction in 2021 and a project to support Women in Afghanistan, "No One Left Behind."
How did you discover Rug Radio?
During January 2021 lockdown, I randomly entered a tiny Clubhouse room with what appeared as a few close friends on a casual, authentic Saturday night conversation that blew my mind! The host of this room was no other than Farokh! He shared his warmth, authenticity, and special connection to women, and it was that moment when he shared that with all the Covid negativity, there was one thing happening that he counted as a total blessing — his seven months new relationship with none other than Vanessa. That open heart, respect, and connection to the feminine around him, that later extended when I met his mother initially, connected me to his heart. That night he pulled to refresh his profile picture with Vanessa so we could all meet her – it was an intimate moment that will always stay with me.
So in September 2021, the conversation turned to being rugged, and the potential of Rug Radio media was born by the community, by the people, for the people, with the people + the speed + willingness + leadership involved. I was all in and felt that my experience as a warrior woman that built a career from scratch and became a positive leader in a masculine industry could make a difference in sharing Web3 potential growth and education. Of course, the masculine energy was and still is super strong, but as women, this is how we can influence best; this is my community! I feel safe and welcome and can speak my truth. My forever goal is to ensure that the distribution of wealth is part of the ongoing conversation.
During NFT.NYC 2021, I had a chance to hug Vanessa and Farokh; it was another layer of love and connection. So as part of this mission, during the first GM q&a live show with guest Keith Grossman, I asked, "what is the plan to move wealth and onboard/support women in the space." I raised two kids financially on my own and appreciated when Farokh opened up on how his single mother raised him and his brother and how much respect he has for her and women. This was one of the best sharing I could ever hope for. It made total sense, and I know we will continue to elevate these conversations, especially about single women -absent fathers – the future of solutions and probably blockchain smart contracts will be essential.
Another layer of trust for me at Rug Radio media was Mel, who was brought on the core team to develop tokenomics. She is one of the most outstanding female leaders in the space while radically elevating and balancing the energy as a trusted female in a sea of super alpha men. We need to make sure that we are moving the wealth to balance the future of the upcoming generation that is already named ALPHA.
When Rug Radio created the original #famlist, I did everything I could to onboard all my friends in the space— for days — I was and still am talking about the potential that I see in the future of decentralizing media and the new possible economy.
As for the language you “guys” are using, I am “boolish” on the Rug Radio team, the core team, the original council, and the current evolution of the advisors and the potential of the many stages. I’ve now met most of the team #irl, and it is not surprising that the stars are in the house! While nothing is perfect, I highly recommend sticking around, as this is the only way we can make a difference. So yes, sometimes it takes time for our voices to be heard – I personally NEVER give up! This is the ONLY way I know!
How have you engaged with the Rug Radio project and community?
When the conversation about forming the Rug Radio DAO started to weave, I did not doubt my years of experience in leadership, my love for the space, the massive education that I took upon me, and my Web3 willingness to onboard like-minded people, could be crucial. The Rug Radio fam was running in my blood – this is how I am still feeling. So I decided to run for the first DAO council and was beyond honored when I got elected. Rising above the noise wasn't simple, and I was amazed that the community realized it wasn't who was louder in the space but who could radically build and allow growth.
I see Rug Radio as an answer to free media, free speech, and the most potent potential bridge between Web2 and Web3 — we will continue growing together to enable the masses to understand. My biggest current goal is to move Rug Radio’s education, implement these conversations during Web2 #irl events and bring the spirit of the heart connections that the OG of Rug Radio feels as a #chosenfam.
Tell me a little bit about your work outside of web3.
I moved to the City of Angels from my home city Ramat-Gan, a suburb of TeL-Aviv/Israel, in 1988 while attending college and holding several jobs to sustain and build my insurance agency simultaneously. Today, my team and I are a storefront for Covered CA as the health insurance exchange solution and a one-stop shop for all angles of global health insurance benefits solutions.
We're implementing healthcare in many organizations and helping CEOs, COOs, and executives to change their corporate trajectory beyond offering the piece of paper that we call “health insurance,” teaching them to meditate and talk about how 10K steps and good sleep can change anyone's health. This communication brings hybrid teams emotionally and spiritually together, paving the conscious, conservative way to lead positively. I often get hired to teach the Primordial Sound Meditation course to executives, teams, and leaders, sharing the mantras to relax the mind based on the time, date, and place of our birth — life-changing technique to meditation on your own.
During the pandemic, I began to lead worldwide meditation sessions while working with clients within our agency. As a result, the implementation of meditation took a significant turn, and I taught 3-4 sessions over zoom daily. I am now opening conferences, meetings, and events around the globe with meditation and strengthening the education of Web3 powerful tools. The Clubhouse rooms days were my social time, while I enjoyed the essential drops, the initial conversation with Fewo, Steve Aoki, and more. This is where I initiated my graduation of knowledge at the university of life.
Web3's potential is elevating the healthcare conversation. We bring all minds together – the scientists, sages, AI, finance, cloud computing, and security, but mainly the artists! The potential for a global health chain through the building blocks of Web3 is already winning! I am so fortunate to see and understand the possibility of moving healthcare to the blockchain - how we can lower costs, find the correct information for healing, and teach about taking health into our own hands. This is now happening with artists leading the way through blockchain using the technology. One of my new passions is to curate the stage among the Web2 conferences and allow the education of what Web3 is all about and how we can separate the conversation. As Keith Grossman shared on the #irl Twitter space during Metaverse Miami — “separate Crypto from the technology.”
For years, I've been empowering the media, serving as the Associate Publisher of the California Broker Magazine and as a board member Media chair for the National Association of Benefits Insurance Professionals. Media is everything from the heart of any organization, especially when we look at what type of information flows in and out of the people who lead. Web3 media has the most significant responsibility to educate people and bridge the gap from Web2 to Web3. We can document the discussion about merging Eastern and Western medicine, allowing statistics, and educating people about these mostly free/no-cost modalities. I strongly feel that Rug Radio has yet to scratch the surface of the possible change we will see in the upcoming months.
How do your yoga and meditation practices serve you in your career and in your Web3 activities?
In 2017 I became certified as a Chopra Primordial Sound Meditation coach. I had to quickly open the healthcare industry to the physical, spiritual, and emotional experience. At first, I had nothing but resistance and no access to information, statistics, or science, but I started leading sessions and got two continuing education classes approved by the department of insurance - "Reducing HelathCare Cost with Yoga & Meditation" in California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, as well as "Meditation as a Way for Wellness." I can happily share that these sessions are now part of every conference on the national and local levels. I often feel as if Web3 lacks the spirit, so here is another critical aspect, and the potential of the media to take upon us the education of allowing space to onboard our potential soul spirit. We have to eliminate negativity at all costs!!
Who inspires you in the web3 space?
So many talented people are around. GaryVee, who I met through the NFT world, and Paris Hilton inspire me. Before NFTs, I knew Paris as just another Hollywood superstar, but now I see her through a different lens of leadership and uplifting artists and women – amazing!
As an advocate for women in many areas, what do you think will bring underrepresented people to the Web3 space?
The speed, open conversation, authenticity, and masculine energy (men) moving closer to every girl/woman/mother's heart and allowing healing and a core understanding of success. Further, the science of mindfully moving women closer to the table and including them in decision-making for success is crucial.
We must remember that women raised most boys/men, so we must take responsibility. Moreover, by ensuring that wealth is balanced, we enhance equality of decision within the conversation-making. This comes from me. While I have a significant career in Web2, I mostly felt respected, loved, and surrounded by unique, strong men.
So if we understand that it is all transitional and cannot happen overnight – we will be able to find the most effective way to merge the webs and use the blockchain to support us during this once in a lifetime transition. I am excited and honored to be part of this revolution.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Namaste for beautiful holiday moments filled with the spirit that each and every one of us carry within-
Shine – light – Love
Ohm Shanti, Shanti,
❤
Naama
